BOUNCING SOULS “Live”
A BOUNCING SOULS show is guaranteed fun. From the days when this band was not much more than a bunch of loudmouthed, obnoxious drunken punks, to their current “stately” incarnation of punk rock veterans and scene elders, this band has always had much more than a clue on how to entertain. Live, a two-disc set finally gives the ‘SOULS a proper live release, scuttling aside the timely, but less than stellar 1998 live EP Tie One On. While a two-disc set of material initially may sound daunting, in classic short-song ‘SOULS fashion, each disc runs about 40 minutes. Fast, furious, energetic, and feel-good, the ‘SOULS rip through a career-spanning set, crashing through such standouts as “Here We Go,” “Say Anything,” “Joe Lies,” “Private Radio,” “Lamar Vannoy,” “Hopeless Romantic,” “True Believers,” “Born Free,” “The Ballad of Johnny X,” and a ton of other songs that we’ve all come to know and love. In addition, my own personal favorites of “Cracked” (played at an insanely fast speed) and “Manthem” are on here to compliment such other staples as “I Like Your Mom” (this song never gets old), “Born to Lose,” “The Freaks, The Nerds, And The Romantics,” and a wonderfully spirited version of “East Coast! Fuck You!” Live is more than just a “Greatest Hits” package recorded off a soundboard though – it has Greg Attonito’s vocal roaring spunk flowing through every pore. Although there’s only a minimal level of banter between tracks, it’s just enough to remind you that this isn’t some glossy, overproduced, meticulously crafted, “live only the sense that its origins came from outside a studio” affair. The ‘SOULS are masters of well-placed, tuneful backing vocals, and this release captures perfectly that undeniably element of the band’s live show. The short but sweet liner notes pretty much sum up why this set is essential for any fan: “We started as a live band playing basements, bars, parties, and clubs to anyone who cared. Over the years we’ve made records, toured the world over, met so many people and created countless memories together. Through it all, the live show has remained the essence of The Bouncing Souls. We tried to capture that essence with this collection. It is dedicated to everyone who has been there along the way to share it with us.” Amen.
Chunksaah
